The county has agreed to lease the space from Feld Properties for $2,500, Clerk Sandy Juno said Tuesday.

The length of the count depends on whether the ballots must be hand-counted, or fed through a machine. A hand count would require about 70 workers, Juno said; a machine count would likely need 30.

Persons interested in working on the count would need to be available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 1 through Dec. 12, Juno said. To be considered, a person should contact Tracy Laundre at (920) 448-4020. Previous elections experience, including having been a poll worker, is preferred.

That's how one northeastern Wisconsin clerk described the challenge of recounting thousands of ballots in less than two weeks to comply with a statewide recount of the Nov. 8 presidential election requested by Green Party candidate Jill Stein and independent Roque De La Fuente.

Clerks around the region were scrambling Monday to find staff and room to carry out the recount.

Under a plan approved Monday by the Wisconsin Elections Commission, the recount would begin Thursday, provided Stein, De La Fuente or both pay the estimated $3.5 million cost of recounting ballots by Tuesday. County officials would have until the end of the day Dec. 12 to complete their recount.

Brown County Clerk Sandy Juno said the effort would cost about $198,000 and require round-the-clock security from the sheriff's office.

Juno would need to hire up to 70 workers — for 12 consecutive 10-hour days — to hand-count the roughly 130,000 ballots cast in the county earlier this month. State elections officials said Monday morning that they would not authorize a hand count, but the Stein camp later sued to require ballots to be counted by hand.

Juno also would have to find a place to conduct the recount.

On Monday, clerk's officials hadn't been able to find a room that's available from Dec. 1 through Dec. 12 and also large enough to accommodate poll workers, observers and the media that the recount will likely attract. More space is needed than is available in the county's two buildings in downtown Green Bay, Juno said. The KI Convention Center does not have space available for the full 12-day block.

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Three Brown County officials, including County Clerk Sandy Juno, would receive pay increases of almost $10,000 in the next five years under a proposal before the County Board.(Photo:
File/Press-Gazette Media
)

"I guess I didn't pray hard enough this year," Juno said. She said she might have to pay workers as much as $25 per hour "so they don't leave after the first day and not come back."

Stein sought a recount of the vote in which Republican Donald Trump won Wisconsin by 22,177 votes over Democrat Hillary Clinton. Because of the margin, the candidate requesting the recount must also pay for it.

Stein received about 31,000 votes statewide. Payment is due Tuesday; the count would begin Thursday.

The recount also will affect clerks' ability to serve customers in a busy month for passport applications and marriage licenses. Brown County posted signs Monday about possible delays, and plans to ask people to wait until Dec. 14, if possible, to file applications.

County Board Chairman Patrick Moynihan sounded angry when he spoke of the demands Stein's filing places on Juno's office.

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Patrick Moynihan(Photo: File/Press-Gazette Media)

"I hope there are some legislators who already have some bills drafted," he said, "so someone who got 1 percent of the vote can't pull another stunt like this."

Cost estimates for recounts in neighboring counties vary. Shawano County Clerk Pamela Schmidt estimated her cost at $52,700, while Oconto County Clerk Kim Pytleski expects to spend $38,130. Kewaunee County Clerk Jamie Annoye pegged her cost at about $12,400 — if the count could be done by machine.

Door County will need $14,000 to cover a count covering almost 18,000 votes and lasting four to seven days, Clerk Jill Lau said.

Counties' cost also vary because of logistical concerns. If Brown County's ballots have to be moved off-site — they're currently locked in a basement below the clerk's office — the county would likely need a rental truck. Counts must be complete by 3 p.m. Dec. 13.

"This is just mind-blowing," said Marinette County Clerk Kathy Brandt, who expects to spend $21,500. She expects the county to take seven days, though "if I had another day and half before we have to start I would feel more comfortable with decreasing that, but Thursday is the day."

dschneid@greenbaypressgazette.com and follow him on Twitter @PGDougSchneider